New Member Introductions

Hey everyone! Thanks again for joining the site. There's so much to discuss about life in and around Oak Park, you're probably wondering where to begin! This is one place where you can get started. Feel free say hello here and introduce yourself to the other members.

Replies to This Discussion

Ok, so I'll go first. I'm Becca. I moved to Oak Park about four years ago with my husband. There are so many things that we love about living here, I could fill this whole screen. The big ones are the architecture (we love old houses), proximity to the city and the people. When we're not at home enjoying our house, we're walking though the neighborhood, at the gym or sampling cheese at the Marion Street Cheese Market.

I'm Brian. My fiancee and I moved to Forest Park a little over a year ago. We wanted to setup shop just outside of the city and are really happy with our decision. I frequently refer to the area as "urban-lite" and love the compromise between city and suburbs.

When I'm not at my office (I don't call it work because I love what I do), you'll likely find me at Oak Park Tennis Center in the summer as I'm avid tennis player and fan. I also enjoy all of our local bookstores and coffee shops as I'm admitted coffee snob. We're still enjoying getting to know the area in general and trying new restaurants as well. We're also looking forward to continuning to meet more new people as we make the area our home.

My name is Russell and I have been in Oak Park 4 years. Like most people, I was drawn to the architecture, old houses (they don't build 'em like this anymore), quaint tree lined streets, easy commute to downtown and the psuedo urban feel of Oak Park. I am a mortgage banker by day and I pass enjoy building and racing radio controlled cars during my free time. I am also on a constant search for the perfect weekend getaway and the perfect meal.

What a great site. I've lived in the area for about 20 years 10 in Oak Park and 10 in River Forest. I work at a downtown ad agency, but would love to do more local business. I feel lucky to live in such a forward thinking area and see lots of good things in Oak Park's future. I've read a lot of the posts so far and there seem to be a lot of people who feel the same way. Thanks for the invite, Becca!

I moved to Oak Park from the Wheaton/Glen Ellyn area last fall. I wanted to be in, or at least closer to, the city, and my girlfriend wanted to stay near her family in the 'burbs. We came into Oak Park just because of location but immediately fell in love with the people, sights and the many other qualities that you all are already intimately familiar with.

I run the contemporary music ensemble eighth blackbird (www.eighthblackbird.com) and mainly work from home. The solitude was driving me so crazy that I just took up a 2nd job waiting tables a few nights a week at the Marion Street Cheese Market. The customers are great, the food is fantastic, and it gets me out of the house, so I love it. I also do a bit of writing, acting and occasional public speaking.

Thanks to Becca for all her activity on Twitter and here. It's all really helped Oak Park come alive for me.

BTW Chris, we love the Marion Street Cheese Market! When are you guys going to have more classes again? We attended the cheeses of Italy and in the words of the oh-so-annoying Rachel Ray, all I can say is "Yum-O"!

Christopher Richardson said:

Hi all, ...I just took up a 2nd job waiting tables a few nights a week at the Marion Street Cheese Market. The customers are great, the food is fantastic, and it gets me out of the house, so I love it. I also do a bit of writing, acting and occasional public speaking.

I'm practically a lifer. I spent the first 18 years of my life in River Forest, the next twn or so years in Evanstin and Chicago, and have been back in OP since 1990 or so. We've rented, we've been homeowners, we've used both private and public schooling. I've been carjacked (that's the worst thing that ever happened). My favorite grocery stores are Fairshare and Trader Joe's.

What else is important?

I've never attended a Village Board meeting or a District 97 or 200 meeting, though I feel I should since these boards -- especially the Village board -- often makes such boneheaded decisions that the rest of us have to pay for.

Hi, I just moved here a month ago with my husband. We used to live in the far, far NW suburbs. I'm originally from Milwaukee, and by nature I'm a city girl. I'm really excited to see what Oak Park has to offer.

Hi all, my name is Leah. I am a graphic designer ...by day I work for a commercial real estate firm in Rosemont as their senior designer, and I also run an independent design company, PixelgateMedia.com

I spend a lot of leisure time in Oak Park, but I live not too far away in Westchester with my partner Todd, my 5-year old son Mason, three highly trained dogs, one not so well trained cat and a fish. We frequent the OP farmers market, the Khyber Pass restaurant, Brown Elephant and Buzz Cafe, the Harrison Arts District, etc., and in general love the progressive folks in OP. I am a former city-transplant, and I've been in Westchester for going on 4 years.

Before the market crash, I thought we'd sell the house and move to OP, but ultimately I think we're yearning for a little hobby farm someday with some more room to roam - to have some chickens and acreage, etc.! I definitely love the OP scene though and expect we'll frequent lovely OP for years to come.

I'm practically a lifer. I spent the first 18 years of my life in River Forest, the next twn or so years in Evanstin and Chicago, and have been back in OP since 1990 or so. We've rented, we've been homeowners, we've used both private and public schooling. I've been carjacked (that's the worst thing that ever happened). My favorite grocery stores are Fairshare and Trader Joe's.

What else is important?

I've never attended a Village Board meeting or a District 97 or 200 meeting, though I feel I should since these boards -- especially the Village board -- often makes such boneheaded decisions that the rest of us have to pay for.